GS Paper 3
Syllabus: Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate
Source: HT
Context: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence has backed the Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill 2023.
About the Bill:
- It was introduced in the Lok Sabha (March 2023) and was referred to the Standing Committee on Defence by the Speaker.
- It seeks to empower the Union government to –
- Notify the setting up of inter-services organisations, including joint services commands, and
- Give powers to heads of such organisations to act against personnel from any of the three services to ensure discipline and effective discharge of duties.
Salient features of the Bill:
- Inter-services Organisation (ISO):
- The central government may constitute a Joint Services Command.
- Existing ISOs (A&N Command, Defence Space Agency, NDA) will be deemed to have been constituted under the Bill.
- Superintendence and Command/Control of ISOs:
- The superintendence of an ISO will be vested in the central government.
- While command and control over the personnel serving in or attached to such an Organisation will be vested in the Commander-in-Chief or the Officer-in-Command of an ISO.
- Eligibility to be appointed as the Commander-in-Chief or Officer-in-Command:
- A General Officer of the regular Army (above the rank of Brigadier),
- A Flag Officer of the Navy (rank of Admiral of the Fleet, Admiral, Vice-Admiral, or Rear-Admiral), or
- An Air Officer of the Air Force (above the rank of group captain).
- Commanding Officer: A Commanding Officer –
- Will be in command of a unit, ship, or establishment and perform duties assigned by the Commander-in-Chief or Officer-in-Command of the ISO.
- Will be empowered to initiate all disciplinary or administrative actions over the personnel appointed, deputed, posted, or attached to that ISO.
Significance of the Bill: The bill is crucial because theaterisation, a long-overdue military reform that will make the best use of the military’s resources to fight future wars, is currently under debate.
Problems in the current system:
- The personnel in an ISO are currently governed by the respective laws of the three services – the Army Act 1950, the Air Force Act 1950, and the Navy Act 1957.
- When it comes to tri-services matters, the current legal framework has its limitations because officials from one service are not permitted to exert disciplinary/ administrative actions over members of another service.
- For instance, a three-star general heading a joint command cannot act against air force or navy personnel serving under him.
- As a consequence, the personnel serving in ISOs need to be reverted to their parent service units for any disciplinary/ administrative action.
- This is not only time-consuming but also has financial implications relating to the movement of the personnel.
The panel’s recommendations:
- The bill be passed without any amendments and be enacted as a statute to promote tri-services integration and jointmanship in ISOs.
- The proposed law will improve the functioning of ISOs as they will be able to work with greater independence.
- The bill will enable expeditious disposal of cases, thereby affecting the standard of discipline.
Insta Links:
Mains Links:
What are Integrated Theatre Commands? Discuss the prospects and challenges faced in the implementation of integrated theatre commands for India. (250 words)
